Louver operating means



Aug. 13, 1946. l J, GTT. l 2,405,899

LoUvER OPERATING MEANS original'Filed Aug. 2e, 1941 Patented Aug. 13, 1946 niet UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE j a40599 l t LoUvER QPERATINGVMEANS Joseph tti, Oklahoma City, Okla. original application Aug'st 26,1941, serial No.

li08,312. Divided and this application November 16, 1942, Serial No. 465,664

` claims. (C1. 268-96) My'invention is directed to novel means and to a novel device for manually operating, adjusting and moving louvers of awnings or Window shades having movable parts which are adapted to regulate light, air, sunlight, wind, dust, etc.

It is an important object of my invention to provide means for manually adjusting the same to any one of a plurality of desired positions and whichV embodies features which overcome the objectionable features of rattling, insecure means of mounting and present inadaptability "for mounting upon either removable screensy or upon stationary window frames.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a novel manually controllable means and mechanism adapted to be mounted either in a side member of a removable screen frame or in a side/member of a stationary window frame in combination with a louver connecting link connecting said operating mechanism and the connecting member which vers to desired position. Y

A further object of my invention is the provision of novel means for transmitting manually actuated movement from one side, usually the inside, of the window to the pivotally mounted louvers of an adjustable awning of the described class.

Other and further important objects of my invention Will be apparent from the following description and appended claims.

This application is pending application Serial No. 408,312, filed August 25, 1941.

On the drawing: Y

Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view taken on a horizontal plane showing my device in one typical installation-in a stationary window frame, and showing only a fragment of the awning.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the inside portions of my adjustable operating device, with the cover or shield removed from over the handle.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on a vertical plane of my device, as installed directly in a side member of a window frame which is either permanently or removably mounted on the house wall frame.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view illustrating one form of lever and arm elements through which the movement is transmitted to the louvers.

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional and partially fragmentary view with parts broken away taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 4.

Reference numeral IllA designates one side member of a rectangular frame preferably made moves the respective lou-l "il-of metal, and Whichvhas Vits inner longitudinal a division of my presently n vv1n instances where said desired length to trate said lever I6 edge bent at right angles and outwardly to form a mounting flange II. Numeral i2 designates the louvers, only'a fragment of one of Whichis f shown, and each of Vwhich louvers have their op-v posite ends bent at right angles to form end wings or mounting flanges. A fragment only of one of said louvers is shown in Fig. 1.

The louvers are spaced positions by pivotally mounted at suitably A,connected together to operate and move invunison by a suitable metal link I3 shown in cross section in Fig. 1 which has rivets or pins (not shown), passing therethrough and through suitable apertures in those end wings of .the louvers at one side of the awning frame. The louvers are thereby operatively connected `together to l move in parallelism and unison.

One of the wings of one louver carries a stud pin or pintle I4 .which extends horizontally a short distance.V Such pin or pintle may,fif desired, extend vthrough the length of one of. the

louvers and beyond both end wings thereof to therebyr provide and to thereby move both sides or` louver -ends in unison. Y Y 1 The awning may be permanently or stationf arily mounted on the window frame, on .the screen frame or in any window opening. A

Numeral I5 designates a metal shaft of any particular installation. For example, said shaft I5 may be relatively shortwhere the unit is installed in a side frame member of -a screen or separate frame such as unit is installed in the stationary window frame of av building, said shaft is substantially longer within the inside surface to points a short distance outside the frame.

\ A hand lever I6 is pivotally connected at one end to the inner end of said shaft I5 by means of a suitable pin I'I which passes through the inner end of shaft IS. In Figs. 1 and 2, I .illus- IIIa. whose arms have aligned passages "and through which passages the transverse pin IIl passes to pivot said hand lever I6 upon a short transversely passaged extension, arm or mount- .ing block I 9. Where said optional mounting rivets or the like y(not shown), l which pass through suitable-apertures-of the re- (not pivoting means for such louver suitable manner upon the' meet the requirement of the illustrated in Fig. 3, and

to extend fromV as having an integral yoke block I9 is utilized, it may be secured in any suitable manner upon the end of the shaft l5, i. e. by welding, or formed from a bent portion of the shaft l''itself.

The free end of hand lever I may carry an optional knob or handle which may be secured to said lever I6 by a suitable pin or screw as indicated. Y

A metal washer-like disk or plate 2l' having Ya' plurality of spaced screw apertures and a plurality of spaced peripheral serrations or recesses l22 forming teeth is preferably secured by screws 23 to the inner frame member upon which the unit is mounted. Said plate 2l has a central aperture through which the shaft` I5 passes. A cup-like metal cap housing or cover 24, which` has a portion of its annular wall cut away to form` an arcuate recess 25, is removably mounted over said disk or plate 2| of hand lever IB by any suitable means.V as for exampleV by an optional screwfZS" which passes through a central aperture Ytherein and'threads into a threaded passage in the endQof shaft l5,A or in instances where mounting block lS- is` used, the same threads into a threaded passage vin such block. Y

The cover cap 24 rotates withV shaft l|5, plug l-B and lever i6. Lever I6 is'adapted to be engaged and disengaged from serrations inplate 2l to allow said rotary movement tov eiect ad-rr justment of' the louvers ,todesiredv positionsv and to retain-them'in" any position. f

andover the inner portion Hand lever I6 is preferablythcughnot neces'-Y 1 sarily provided with an integral'extension or studi' 2T on itsintermediateportion which extends irrwardly and which seats in recessesor serrations 22. An optional springv 28 is preferably though not necessarily interposedbetween the inner face oi" cover 24 and said hand that its extension 2'1" seats in one of the recesses 22 to thereby releasa-bly lock said shaft andA leverv recess 30 to receive: the inner end of said spring 28, and' also an inwardlyprojectingelement 29. i. e; a screw or pin, maybe mounted on the inner 4face of cover 24A `whereonsaid spring; when Vof the coil type, may be more securely mounted. A

In Figs. l and 2 l2 illustrate an optional separate` metal' diskA 3l; beneath serrated platejY 2l which is concentric` with shaft l5 and which is also secured to a frame member byF screwsV 23 passing through apertures thereinl When it is desired to rotate the shaft l5 and hand lever I6, the operatormerely' pulls the outer'end of lever I6 toward theY operator.V and against action of spring 28, and thereupon rotates said lever to the desired position and then permits the spring 28y tov relock thev lever' by engagement of stud orv extension' 21 in one of the recesses 22'.

Reference numeralV 32 designates: anoptional.

metal sleeve or bushingwhich ismounted'in the passage in theframe-on which the`unitismounted and which forms an optional bearing for shaft l5. Suitably secured onthe outer end of shaft I5 is a relatively' short vcrank arm or crank lever 33 which has secured. thereon a pivot element 3ll,` which may assumeY the form of a screw or metal'pin.4

` A novel and advantageous feature` of this construction is that. the size. and shape of the pivot element 34 l'essv than the narrowest and' transverse' dimension of the slot 40 necting link may be easily moved on and oi lever IB, said springy normally exerting its force to hold said lever' so by making the connection between the slot 4D and pivot element 34 removable, the awning may be hinged along either sideV edge to the window frame' and swung outwardly in' an v arcuate path like a shutter for convenient access in cleaning, painting, and the like.

As shown in Fig. 4 a connecting arm or connecting link 35 has its upper end operatively connected to the 'pivot element 34 which element 34vis secured in the outer end of crank lever 33. rIlhe upper end of link or arm 35 has a transversely: extending slot 44) therein in which pivot element 3# slides and moves. Said connecting arm 35` has its lower portion bent or twisted so that such lower portion thereof lies in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the upper slotted portion off said rarm substantially illustratedLin Figjl. The lower end 35' isf'aperturedl and is operatively'connected to the end portion or end l2 by meansof' a pivot element 31 which may be' either a headed pin or screw. Pivot element 31 passes through the aperture in the lower end ofA connecting arm- `35 and has its inner end secured by welding or the like in an aperture in end mounting flange l2a of louver l2 and optionally to one end of a reinforcing angular extension orv arm 38' which is secured adjacent Yto the end ange lZa of louver l2v by welding or the like. Th` extension 38 may be integral with the end portion of pintle Ml or may compose aperpendicularly bent end of said pintle I 4. SaidV ex tension 38 provides a sufficiently strong arrn-," and reinforces the end ange 42a to transmit the downward and-upward movement of connecting linkl 35 to partially rotate the pintle lll and rock the respective louvers. As clearly shown in the upper portion of Fig. 1, a headless guide screw 35-a has one end thereof mounted in the intermediate portion of-` framer member l0 so that said screw `35i-4:1. extends perpendicularly and projects through the longitudinally extending guide slot Z55- b formed in connecting link 35 so that asV said link 35 is moved upwardly or downwardly, itis guided in said movement by the cooperating action of said guide screw 35-a and said guide slot i-b. I haveillustrated in the cross sectional view in Fig. 5 the normally vertically eX- tending part of the frame side ange Il, with other parts in side elevation andrcross section. The lower portion of the side flange HV which is nearest the operating mechanism has formed therein an arcuate slot 40 through which the pivot'` element 3l extends, and in which it moves upon the rocking movement herein described. An endY portion of said slot 40 is illustrated in Fig. 4, a part oi each thereof being defined by the upper and lower cross lines on the cross.- hatched frame flange ll above and below' the pivot element 31.

vAs illustrated in Figs. 1 and Ll, the corresponde ing ends of the respective pivotally mounted'lou. vers are connected to operate in unison and in parallelism by a metal connecting bar I3; which usually assumes the form of a straight metal' bar with a plurality of` holes in it spaced apart so that rivets or pins' passV through said holes'and suitably spaced'holes in those end 'ange's. or wings which are at one end of each'louver. s Connecting parallel to and just inside of the vertically'exof said arm n flange I2a of the louverv bar I3v lies' adjacent andV substantially tending mounting flange Il at one sdegof the awning frame, substantially as partially illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4. In instances where said connecting bar I3 is of substantial width, suitable openings or slots may be formed in it at spaced apart points so that the pivoting rivets (not shown) of the louver end flanges pass through said connecting bar slots and thereby said connecting bar may move in a substantially upward and arcuate path. v

In many instances, particularly where awnings of this general type are mounted on the stationary-window frames of a building, theregular awning frame is hingedly secured to the building window frame by a plurality of hinges which are sec-ured at suitably spaced apart points to one side member of the awning frame to permit the awning to be hinged into an outward position over the window. Such installations particularly have the advantage of permitting convenient access to the window and window frame in cleaning, painting, or the like. The novel operating mechanism is of such construction that the awning itselfmay be hingedly moimted along its vertically extending lateral edge, optionally being the edge adjacent to the end connecting link of my construction. Utilization of my operating mechanism with a connecting link and a headless pivoting pin such as the aforedescrbed pivoting pin 3d which slides in and engages a slot in the upper end of connecting link 35 permits the awning to be hingedly mounted at the left h'and edge and permits such awning to be swung outwardly on said hinges due to the fact that upon such swinging movement, the connecting link 35 will merely move outwardly in an arcuate path and disengage the pivot element 34 from the uppermost slot 40 in said connecting link 35. When the shutter is desired to be closed against the window, the pivot element 34 will againbe received by the upper slot of link y35 to thereby re-establish operative relation.

It will be apparent that my operating mechanism for controlling from a remote point movable elements such as hinged or pivoted members, includes the adjustable and releasably lockable lever or crank with its locking means; the shaft normally journalled in either a stationary or removable frame; the crank arm on an end of the sh'aft and the connecting link and pintle and pintle arm, the latter being operatively `connected together, all the foregoing cooperating together to transmit rotative movement of the shaft to a pintle or similar rockable element to which pintle or rockable element one of the awning louvers may be secured or connected.

I desire it t0 be understood that either form of my herein described and claimed invention can be satisfactorily installed and used either in a portion of a stationary window frame or in a movable, swinging or removable frame such' as used for screens, windows or the like.

My illustrated invention may also be adapted for use in closing shutters, blinds, windows and various other hingedly mounted elements in instances where the manual actuation is or may advantageously be imparted and initiated from either the inside of a wall, partition or the like or from a remote point conveniently accessible to the operator.

I am aware that various changes may be made in the embodiment of the invention herein specifically described without departing from or sacricing any of the advantages of the invention or any features thereof, and nothing hereinshall in a window frame and in a position spaced from said pintle; a crank lever on the outer end of said shaft; a link having one end portion operatively connected to said pintle crank arm and having a separable operative connection -with said crank lever whereby rotation of said shaft will normally rock said pintle; a grippablevpivctal lever on the other end of said shaft; and releasable locking means mounted adjacent said grippable lever for selectively holding said lever in desired positions, said separable operative connection between said link and said crank lever providing for quick outward movement of said window awning away from said crank lever of said shaft to permit access to the window adjacent to which said awning is mounted.

2. In combination with a window awning adapted to be removably mounted on a normally stationary window frame; an operating mechanism for controlling pivoted louvers of said window awning; a pintle pivotally mounted in said awning and operatively connected to and along one of said louvers; an arm mounted on one end of said pintle; a shaft journalled in said window frame; a crank lever on the end of said shaft; a link having a removable connection with said crank lever and having its other end connected to said pintle, said removable connection between said link and said crank lever permitting removal or outward swinging movement of said awning; the rotation of said sh'aft being adapted to rock said pintle; a grippable pivotal lever on the end of said shaft at the inside of said vwindow frame; a serrated plate mounted at lthe inner end of said shaft, said plate having serrated teeth, and a projecting element on said lever adapted to engage said teeth to hold said lever and said louvers in desired position.

3l. In a mechanism for controlling pivotally mounted louvers of a window awning adapted to be mounted on a window frame, said louvers being connected to move in unison; a rotatable shaft adapted to be journalled in a normally stationary window frame; a crank arm on the normally inner end ofsaid shaft; a connecting link separately pivoted at one end to said crank lever and having its other end operatively connected to one of said louvers; a grippable hand lever on the inner end of said rated plate adjacent said hand lever, the serrations of said plate being adapted to releasably engage said hand lever whereby said hand lever and the louvers may be releasably mounted inV one of a number of desired positions, the said separable pivoting of said connecting link providing for quick separation of the window awning from said shaft and the shaft crank arm.

4. In combination with a normally stationary window frame a removable awning having aplurality of louvers pivotally mounted therein and operatively connected together by a connecting link and having a rockable member operatively connected to said link; a crank arm secured on one end of said rockable member; a manually operable mechanism adapted to Ibe mounted upon the inside of a frame for selectively operating said louvers and Aincluding a shaft; a hand lever connected to said shaft; releasable looking means for said hand lever adapted to releasably lock the same in any one of a number of desired p0- sitions; a crank arm on the outer end of said shaft; and a link connected at one end to said crank arm on said rockable` member and said crank arm having a, removable connection to said shaft whereby the rocking movement of said shaft is transmitted to pivot said louvers, said removable connection between said shaft crank arm and said link permitting quick removal or opening of said window awning.

5. In a mechanism for controlling pivotally mounted louvers of a window awning, said louvers being connected to move in unison; a rotatable shaft; a grippable hand lever on the one end of said shaft; a, serrated plate adjacent said hand lever, the serrations of said Vplate being adapted `to releasably engage said hand lever whereby said hand lever and the louvers may be releasably mounted in one of a number of desired positions; a spring engaging said hand lever adapted to normally hold said hand lever in locked engagement with said serrations; a crank lever mounted on the outer end of said shaft; a connecting link pivoted at one end to said crank lever and having its other end operatively connected to one of said louvers and adapted, when moved longitudinally, to pivot said louvers, said link having an intermediate guide slot therein; and a screw mounted adjacent said link and projecting through said guide slot, the cooperation of said screw and said guide slot being adapted to guide the longitudinal movement of said link.

JOSEPHl OTTI. 

